Murchisonelloidea

Murchisonelloidea is an extinct superfamily of marine mollusks that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. They are characterized by their distinctive, often elongated shells, which are typically biconvex and have a smooth or ribbed surface. The superfamily is named after the genus Murchisonia, which was first described by the German paleontologist Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in 1847.

Murchisonelloidea is believed to have evolved from an ancestor similar to the modern family Turbinidae. The superfamily is divided into two families: Murchisonellidae and Pseudomurchisonellidae. Murchisonellidae is the more diverse of the two, with over 50 species described from the Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks of Europe, North America, and Asia. Pseudomurchisonellidae is less diverse, with only a few species described from the Jurassic rocks of Europe.

The taxonomy of Murchisonelloidea is still a subject of ongoing research, and the relationships between the various genera and species are not yet fully understood. However, it is clear that Murchisonelloidea played an important role in the evolution of marine mollusks during the Mesozoic era. Their distinctive shells provide valuable insights into the ecology and evolution of these ancient organisms.